Kyle RNLI win the Emergency Services accolade at the Highland Heroes Awards
Kyle of Lochalsh RNLI picked up the award for ‘Emergency Services Hero of the Year’ at the 2024 Highland News & Media Highland Heroes Awards as voted for by the public.
On Friday night (15 March), some of the volunteer crew swapped their drysuits for their 3-piece suits to get dressed up in their glad rags for the awards ceremony in Inverness. The crew had been nominated for the award after rescuing a walker who had become trapped on a ledge for more than 24 hours in the remote Kinloch Hourn area.
The crew were shortlisted in January alongside 3 other members of the emergency services and armed forces, and after a public vote which took place in February, the Kyle RNLI crew were announced as the winners at the awards ceremony in the Drumossie Hotel on Friday.
Andrew MacDonald, Helm for Kyle RNLI Lifeboat, says: ‘It was incredibly humbling to have been nominated alongside some amazing people who did extraordinary things, and we never thought we would win. Our crew were lost for words when we were announced as the winners in our category, and those that know our crew, know that is extremely unusual!’.
Notes to editors
· Kyle of Lochalsh lifeboat station opened in 1995
· The volunteer crew in Kyle have had 3 callouts in 2024
· This year is the 200 year Anniversary of the RNLI
RNLI media contacts
Andrew MacDonald, Kyle of Lochalsh Lifeboat Press Officer on 07748 707606 or [email protected]
Natasha Bennett, Regional Communications Manager on 07826 900639 or [email protected]
Martin Macnamara, Regional Communications Lead on 07920 365929 or [email protected]
Tom McGuire, Regional Communications Manager for Scotland and Ireland on [email protected]
RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 142,700 lives.
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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.